Process of and apparatus for producing carbon and gaseous fuel



J. R. ROSE.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CARBON AND GASEOUS FUEL.APPLICATION FILED Nov. a. 1918.

1,352,085, PatentedSept. 7, 1920.

{a i r ably of sheet steel.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. ROSE, 0F EDGEWORTH, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

Continuation of application Serial No. 230,772, filed April 25, 1918.This application filed November 8. 1918. Serial No. 261,588.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. Ross, a citizen of the United States,residing at Edgeworth, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inProcesses of and Apparatus for Producing Carbon and Gaseous Fuel, ofwhich the following is-a full, clear, and exactdescription, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a process of and an apparatus for producingcarbon and a gaseous fuel this application being in some respects acontinuation of my application No. 230,772, filed April 25, 1918. The invention has for its general object the production of such carbon andgaseous fuel in a particularly efficient and economical manner.

When practised in accordance with certain conditions to be set forthhereinafter, the process results in the production of finely dividedcarbon, which is in a form particularly adaptable for use in variousarts, and a gaseous fuel which is especially adapted for the cutting andwelding art, said gas:

being known to the trade under the name of carbo-hydrogen and containingapproximately 85 per cent. of hydrogen and 15 per cent. of hydrocarbonsof high heating value, such as gases of the CH, and 0 H series. Byvariations in the treatment, to be explained hereinafter, differentproportions and qualities of carbon may be produced, together withdifferent proportions of gaseous fuel.

In the drawing forming part hereof, Figure 1 represents a centralvertical sectional view through an apparatus (shown as an electricalfurnace) for realizing the process of my invention; and Fig. 2 asectional View corresponding to the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Describing by reference characters the various parts illustrated herein,1 represents the cylindrical wall of a furnace or generator, said wallbeing of refractory material, capable of withstanding the temperaturedue to the employment of an electric arc. 2 denotes the bottom wall ofthe furnace, also made of such refractory material, the walls 1 and 2being inclosed by a shell 3, prefer- The lower portion of the wall 1 isreduced in diameter to provide thereabove an annular recess having atits bottom a horizontal annular ledge l. In this recess and supported bythis ledge is a cylindrical lining 5, preferably of cast iron or steel,said lining removably fitting within the annular recess, the innerdiameter of said lining being substantially equal to the inner diameterof the lower portion of the said wall 1. The lining projects slightlyabove the top. of the wall 1 and its upper face f is ground to provide aground joint fit with the cooperating ground surface on the bottom of acover 6, preferably of heavy cast iron.

About midway of its height, the lining 5 is provided with diametricallyopposed circular openings 7 adapted to register with openings of.corresponding size and location in the wall 1, and casing 3, theaforesaid openings being provided for the reception of the carbonelectrodes 8 of an electric arc, the said electrodes being insulatedfrom the wall 1 and lining 5 by means of bushings 9 surrounding thecarbons and forming a close fit with the same and the interior of theopenings in said wall, lining, and casing.

From the bottom of the furnace chamber 10, and preferably immediatelyabove the bottom wall 2, there extends a gas outlet connection 11 fromwhich a pipe 11 may extend to a carbon separator of any standardconstruction and thence to any suitable receptacle for the gaseous fuel.The cover 6 is provided with a gas inlet pipe 12 extend ing downwardlytherethrough and preferably located centrally thereof, said pipe havinga valve 12,. for controlling the supply of gas to the furnace orgenerator. The cover 6 will be removably attached to the furnace top, asby means of lag screws 13 extend ing through the cover and threaded intothe lining 5.

lVith the parts constructed and arranged as described, a hydrocarbonfluid, preferably methane or natural gas, is supplied through the inletpipe 12 to the chamber 10 surrounding the electrodes 8, said electrodesbeing supplied with an electric current so as to produce an arc betweenthe adjacent ends. thereof,the chamber 10 being commensurate with thesize of the arc. In its passage through the chamber 10. heated by theare formed between the electrodes, the hydrocarbon will be dissociated,with the production of hydrogen and hydrocarbons of high tion of thegaseous fuel produced. For in V stance, by raising the temperature ofthe hydrocarbon to about 2000 F., a gas .containing approximately 85 percent. hydrogen and 15 per cent. of the other hydrocarbons of highheating value, such as referred to hereinbefore, will be produced, to-

gether with a certain roportion of free, finely divided carbon. 1 t atemperature of about 1000 F., a comparatively small proportion of pure,finely divided,high grade non-graphitic black carbon will be produced.\Vhen the temperature of the hydrocarbon in the chamber 10 approximates3000'" F., practically all of the carbon constituent is precipitated andthe resultant gas is substantially pure hydrogen; where the gas in thechamber 10 is raised to a temperature of about 1800 F, the carbonprecipitated will be mainly graphitic carbon. At temperatures below 1800F. the carbon will be precipitated mainly in the form of lamp black.

By making the lining 5 of non-oxidizable material, such as cast iron,steel, or a nonoxidizable alloy of metals, no chemical effeet will beproduced upon the carbon in the chamber 10 by contact with such liningand the carbon will be free from impurities and substances which mightdetrimentally affect the same.

Between the outer wall of the lining 5 and the cooperating inner surfaceof the wall 1, there is interposed a ring or envelop 14 of gas-tight,high-resisting material, such as asbestos. By the employment of theground joint between the top 5 of the lining 5 and the bottom of thecover 6, a gas tight I joint is provided without the necessity foremploying asbestos or other heat resisting compact.

By the construction herein described, the lining ring 5 may beconveniently applied to the wall 1 and may be conveniently removed forpurposes of renewal and inspection, after having first withdrawn thecarbon electrodes 8. v

'For convenience of description, the wall 1 and the lining 5' will bereferred to hereinafter as annular, it not being intended thereby tolimit my invention to a wall and lining which are strictly circular insection.

introducing methane into a generator heated by an electric arc andthereby raising the temperature of the gas to a point sufficient todissociate the same into solid carbon and a gas of high heating valuecontaining a preponderating proportion of hydrogen.

The process of producing carbon and a gas of low luminosity and highheating value which comprises introducingnatural gas into a generatorheated by an electric arc and thereby raising the temperature of the gasto a point suflicient to dissociate the same into solid carbon and a gasof high heating value containing a preponderating proportion ofhydrogen.

4. The process of producing carbon which comprises introducing anaeriform hydrocarbon fluid into a furnace or generator heated by anelectric arc, and regulating the flow of the said fluid in accordancewith the temperature to which it is desired to heat such'fluid, therebyto dissociate such fluid into solid carbon and a gas containing apreponderating amount of hydrogen.

5. The process of producing carbon which comprises introducing anaeriform hydrocarbon fluid 'into a generator or furnace heated by anelectric arc and having an inner wall of refractory material incapableof combining with carbon, thereby to dissociate the said fluid intosubstantially pure solid carbon and a gas containing a preponderatingamount of hydrogen.

6; The process of producing carbon which comprises introducing aregulable supply of a hydrocarbon fluid into a generator or furnaceheated by an electric arc and having an inner wall of non-oxidizablematerial, thereby to dissociate the said fluid into substantially puresolid carbon and a gas containing a preponderating amount of hydrogen.

7. The process of converting a hydrocarbon vapor into pure carbon and afixed gas rich in hydrogen andof comparatively low luminosity whichcontains the step of introducing such hydrocarbon vapor into a furnaceor. generator heated by an electric are thereby to dissociate suchhydrocarbon and produce a gaseous fuel having a relatively high hydrogencontent and a relatively low carbon content.

8. The process of converting a hydrocarbon vapor into pure carbon and afixed gas rich in hydrogen and of compartively low luminosity whichcontains the step of introducing siuh hydrocarbon vapor into a generatorheated by an electric arc and thereby heating such'fluid to atemperature of from approximately 1000 F. to 3000 F.

9. A furnace or generator comprising a wall of refractory material, saidwall having a lining of material chemically resistant to the action ofcarbon, electrodes projecting within the space inclosed by said lining,an envelop of gas-tight refractory material inclosed between the outerwall of the lining and the first mentioned wall, connections forsupplying hydrocarbon fluid to the space within said lining, and anoutlet connection leading from said furnace or generator.

10. The combination, with a furnace or generator having a chamber theinner wall whereof is chemically resistant to the action of carbon, ofelectrodes projecting within said chamber, connections for supplyinghydrocarbon fluid to said chamber, and an outlet connection leading fromsaid furnace orgenerator.

11. A furnace or generator of the character described comprising anannular wall and a closure for each end of said wall, the said wallhaving an annular recess extending from one end toward the other endthereof, a' lining of carbon-resistant material in said recess, anenvelop of refractory material surrounding said lining, means forforming an electric arc within said lining, connections for supplyinghydrocarbon fluid to the chamber surrounded by said lining, and anoutlet connection extending from said furnace or generator.

12. A furnace or generator of the chara"- ter described comprising anannular wall and a closure for each end of said wall, the said wallhaving an annular recess extending from one end toward the other endthereof, a lining of carbon-resistant material in said recess, means forforming an electric are within said lining, connections for supplyinghydrocarbon fluid to the chamber surrounded by said lining, and anoutlet connection extending from said furnace or.

generator.

13. A furnace or generator of the character described, comprising anannular wall of refractory material having a bottom closure and havingan annular recess extending from the top thereof, a metallic carbonresistant lining in said recess, an envelop of refractory materialsurrounding said lining in said recess, said lining extending beyond theupper end of said wall and having at its upper end a ground faceextending therearound, a cover having a ground surface cooperating withsaid ground face, means for securing said cover to said wall, electrodesprojecting through said wall and lining, insulating refractory materialsurrounding said electrodes in said wall and lining, a fluid supplyconnection extending through said cover, and an outlet connectionextending through said wall above and adjacent to the bottom thereof.

14. A furnace or generator of the character described, comprising anannular wall of refractory material having an end closure and having anannular recess extending from the opposite end thereof, a metalliccarbon resistant lining in said recess, said lining extending beyond theend of said wall and having at its upper end a ground face extendingtherearound, a cover having a ground surface cooperating with saidground face, means for securing said cover to said wall, means forforming an electric are within the chamber surrounded by said lining, afluid supply connection communicating with said chamber, and an outletconnection from said furnace or generator.

15. A furnace or generator of the character described comprising anannular wall of refractory material, a lining of carbon resistantmaterial removably fitted within said wall, an envelop of refractorymaterial interposed between the outer surface of said lining and thecooperating inner surface of said wall, a closure for the end of saidwall into which the lining is inserted and forming a gas tight jointwith the said lining, electrodes removably supported in said wall andlining and projecting into the space inclosed by the latter, means forsupplying fluid to the space inclosed by said lining, and an outletconnection extending from said furnace or generator.

16. A furnace or generator comprising an annular wall of refractorymaterial having a closure at one end thereof, a lining of carbonresistant material inserted into the end of said wall which is oppositesaid closure, said lining extending beyond said wall and having a groundface extending there, around, a cover having a ground surfacecooperating with said ground face, said cover and said lining beingremovably supported by said furnace or generator, means for supplyingfluid to the interior of said lining, means for forming an electric arewithin said lining, and an outlet connection extending from the furnaceor generator.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my signature.

JAMES R. ROSE.

